Rep. Lower drone bill passes the House

Wednesday

The Michigan House recently approved a bill sponsored by state Rep. Jim Lower, R-Cedar Lake, as part of a larger legislative package crafting state guidelines for drones.

Lower’s bill, House Bill 5498, offers a sentencing guideline making intentional drone interference with a key facility up to a four-year felony, according to a press release.

The legislation is in correspondence with a proposal highlighting facilities where use of unmanned aircraft systems will be prohibited under state law.

The language refers to “key facilities” as defined in the Michigan Penal Code, including manufacturing plants, electric or natural gas utilities as well as telecommunication and correctional facilities.

“I understand there is a large, growing hobbyist and commercial element within the unmanned aircraft industry, but our state laws have been slow to catch up to this industry’s rising popularity and federal guidelines,” Lower in a press release. “I want to carefully maintain balance while putting forth some common-sense measures on how you can use drones and where it’s acceptable to use them.”

Individuals have used unmanned aircraft to drop contraband, cell phones, weapons and other items onto correctional facility property for inmates, according to the press release.

Companion legislation within the five-bill package declares drone use as an “extension of the person”.

Illegal activity carried out with the use of a drone would be treated the same as an individual breaking the law without unmanned aircraft as an aid. The language would be applicable to Lower’s sentencing bill for key facility interference.

A 2016 Federal Aviation Administration report estimated 2.5 million drones were being operated nationwide for a variety of purposes, including hobbyist and commercial. That number could grow to a projected 7 million by 2020.

The bills within the package, House Bills 5494-98, advance to the Senate for further consideration.

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